Did you realize that the common denominator to every definition of love used within the Bible (even Agape love) is desire and emotion? The English word affection seems to be the most understandable term to encapsulate this. Affection has the idea of deep devotion driven by strong desire or emotion. I like this word because it reminds us of how emotion and desire “affect” us in every way. Greek and Hebrew words used to talk about love often referred to the physical reaction that love brings, specifically being moved in the bowels. While that sounds a little gross to the Western mindset, it makes total sense if you think about the part of the body in which you most experience emotion. Just think of the following common expressions we use to describe some of those feelings: “Butterflies in my stomach,” “I have a sick feeling about this,” “Lovesick,” “I’ve got the jitters,” and the list could go on. When you are afraid, excited, surprised, sad, angry, upset, or stressed, you feel those emotions physically…and specifically in your intestines.
While we can’t deny the presence of emotion and desire, it is easy to misunderstand their purpose. We are tempted to either suppress natural affections viewing them as almost evil, or we can tend to allow our affections to control us. Since affection (or emotion-driven desire) is such a big part of love, we will need God’s help in understanding the role it plays.
It might help by distinguishing the key difference between Godly affection and natural, sin-cursed human affection. Let’s start with what we are most familiar with, human affection. When you think of a loved one or best friend, your heart is usually stirred with emotion. If someone were to ask you why you love your spouse, child, significant other, sibling, parent, or friend, what would you say? I’m guessing you might list off lovable attributes about that person. If we are honest, our natural tendency is to feel love for someone who makes us happy or that we perceive to benefit us. Most marriages and friendships end because the “feeling” of love couldn’t withstand difficult circumstances or hurts.
There is nothing wrong with enjoying the benefits of relationships and the natural, God-given emotions that those relationships bring. In fact, reading through the Psalms you’ll see how often there is pleasure equated with knowing God as well as pleasure involved in enjoying His good gifts. Psalm 16:11 is just one example. The issue comes when we bow to the pleasure as our god instead of the God who gives the gift of pleasure.
Let’s take a look at God’s affections and how His desires differ from our own. We will spend the next several posts exploring in-depth how God demonstrates love, but let’s first deal with the most basic difference between God’s unconditional love and our very conditional love.
Study it Out
- What “lovable” attributes did you have before you accepted Christ as your Savior? Was there anything good in you that God wanted or needed? Read Romans 1:16-23 and Ephesians 2:1-3 again and list out the descriptions of sinful mankind. What are your natural feelings toward those who reject you, have destroyed what we love, and hate us?
- You can see throughout the Bible the many different emotions expressed by God. He expresses righteous anger over sin, a holy jealously over His people, deep sorrow over the hurt of humanity, pity, joy, delight, laughter, etc. All of these emotions are sourced in His holy love. What did He feel for us despite our rebellion against Him, and what did this love prompt Him to do? (Romans 5:6-8; John 3:16) How are His affections very different from your own according to the verses you just read?
- Finally, read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 and Philippians 2:1-8. What are some immediate differences you see in God’s love versus your natural affections?
The key to all of this is that God’s affections (desires) are always sinless and selfless while our natural affections are sinful and self-focused. It’s discouraging to see how far we fall short of God’s love as humans. I’m hoping to hammer the final nail in the coffin of our self-effort within this post. Biblical love involves pure feelings of affection. Emotion is something we absolutely can not change by sheer will-power, and yet we are commanded to love as God loves.
Again, we circle back to our desperate need for faith in Christ alone who is our only hope of lasting transformation. I’m excited to focus solely on God’s incredible love over the next several posts. When we see true Love on display and humbly believe and trust in His love, He changes our natural affections to better match His own. We have the ultimate hope that one day we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is. Meanwhile, I’ll repeat my prayer from earlier as we attempt to dive deeply into God’s perfect love.
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:14-21)
Additional Resources
Are you looking for more devotional or Scripture memory resources? Find gifts, artwork, crafts and other devotional printables at Etsy.com/Shop/BreathingGrace. You can also find the original Breathing Grace 50 day devotional on Amazon.com/author/RobertsSarah along with a 30 day devotional for Thanksgiving and a 31 day devotional and ornament maker for Advent. All devotionals are available in both KJV and ESV versions of the Bible.